Numerical control program execution by robot
AssigneeFanuc Robotics America, Inc.
InventorsAkihiro Yanagita, Eric Lee, H. Dean McGee, Jason Tsai
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and a method for converting a machine tool program in NC programming language to permit a robot controller to execute the program. A robot controller converts the NC program into robot language according to a conversion configuration table, and uses the converted language as pseudo program data internally stored in a data memory within the robot controller. Each M-code (Miscellaneous code) in the NC program is executed as a sub-program call using the robot language. The content of the sub-programs can be freely defined and programmed by the user and, therefore, can be customized for the specific application.
Claims20
A method for controlling a robot comprising the steps of:
- storing a numerical control language program in a mass storage device connected to a central processing unit, the numerical control language program adapted to be executed by a computer numerical control machine tool to perform a manufacturing process;
- operating the central processing unit to convert the numerical control language program into a robot language program based upon a pre-defined conversion configuration table having discrete configuration instructions for converting each numerical control language positional command to a robot language positional command and converting each numerical control language miscellaneous code command to a robot language sub-program;
- storing the robot language positional commands and the robot language sub-programs as the robot language program in the mass storage device;
- and
- executing the robot language program with a robot controller connected to the mass storage device and the robot at a run-time of the robot to perform the manufacturing process.
A system for controlling a robot based upon a numerical control language program comprising:
- a robot;
- a robot controller connected to the robot for controlling the robot according to a robot language program;
- a mass storage device connected to the robot controller for storing the numerical control language program;
- and
- a control program executed by the robot controller for converting the numerical control language program into the robot language program based upon a pre-defined conversion configuration table having discrete configuration instructions for converting each numerical control language positional command to a robot language positional command and converting each numerical control language miscellaneous code command to a robot language sub-program.
A method for controlling a robot comprising the steps of:
- storing a numerical control language program in a mass storage device connected to a central processing unit, the numerical control language program adapted to be executed by a computer numerical control machine tool to perform a manufacturing process;
- operating the central processing unit to convert the numerical control language program into a robot language program based upon a pre-defined conversion configuration table having discrete configuration instructions for converting each numerical control language positional command to a robot language positional command and converting each numerical control language miscellaneous code command to a robot language sub-program, further including
- opening the numerical control language program stored in the mass storage device,
- allocating an output area of the mass storage device for logic statements,
- allocating an output area of the mass storage device for positions;
- reading a command line from the numerical control language program,
- creating an entry in the logic output area for the commend line;
- fetch from the command line a token and an argument string that follows the token,
- search for a token letter associated with the token in the conversion configuration table, and
- determine a type for the command line based upon data in the conversion configuration table;
- storing the robot language positional commands and the robot language sub-programs as the robot language program in the mass storage device;
- and
- executing the robot language program with a robot controller connected to the mass storage device and the robot at a run-time of the robot to perform the manufacturing process.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.